Greek police arrest prisoner who escaped by helicopter

Greek police arrest prisoner who escaped by helicopter Athens  - Greek police on Monday said they have arrested a convicted murderer who escaped from a maximum security prison by helicopter earlier this year.

Officials said Albanian national Alket Rizaj was arrested near the Greek capital Athens following his daring jail break.

One of Greece's most notorious criminals, Vassilis Paleokostas, also escaped in the helicopter. He has not been recaptured.

The helicopter landed in the prison yard of Korydallos in February to whisk the two men to freedom.

Palaiokostas, 43, was serving a 25-year sentence for the kidnapping of a Greek businessman while Rizai, 35, was serving a life sentence for manslaughter.

The two men had escaped in a similar fashion in 2006 with the help of Vassilis' brother Nikos and were later caught by police in the summer of 2008. (dpa)